a review of books, websites, movies, or anything worth reviewing with comments about libraries and librarianship

Friday, July 13, 2007

Carrying Jackie's Torch by Steve Jacobson

According to Steve Jacobson in Carrying Jackie's Torch, the story of integrating major league baseball did not end with Jackie Robinson surviving his first year with the Brooklyn Dodgers. For the next dozen years an unpublicized quota kept the number of black players down , and the men who followed the Dodger second baseman faced entrenched discrimination. In some cities, not all in the South, they had to eat in kitchens while their white teammates ate in dining rooms. They were restricted to certain cars of trains. They were not allowed into many of the team hotels. Abuse from the bigots in the stands and hate mail dogged them whenever they excelled.

In separate chapters in Carrying Jackie's Torch, Jacobson tells the stories of eighteen players and Emmett Ashford, the first black umpire in the major leagues. Several of the players are lesser known, but many are stars, like Ernie Banks, Frank Robinson, Bob Gibson, and Henry Aaron. The saddest of the tales are those of Charlie Murray, who found the discrimination in the minor leagues unbearable, and Curt Flood, who challenged the baseball reserve clause that kept players enslaved to their teams.

Jacobson says that he wants current players, with their big salaries and many perks, to read about these men who made modern baseball possible. He also argues that integration of baseball and other sports was essential to the success of the civil right movement. Public and school libraries should own this book.

Rick,I stumbled upon your blog on the main page, and I was fascinated. I was just wondering if you've read a book called 'Stasiland', written by Anna Funder - I actually wrote a blog about it not so long ago, funnily enough named 'Stasiland'. I would really recommend giving this book a read, or at least having a quick glance at it. I'm not much of a reader, but this book is fascinating.

Your entry hit me on a couple of levels. Number one, I'm a high school teacher but spent the first part of summer school helping out in the school library. I have a renewed appreciation for the magic of books and the role of the library. Second, I am a UCLA alumnus and Mr. Robinson's attendance and graduation from UCLA have always been a source of pride for Bruins past and present. Thanks for your entry.

I am visiting your blog for the first time. I am new to the blog world. I just wanted to tell you how pleasing it is to see someone with a passion to share knowledge! If your site is still here in a few years, my children will be using it for researching ideas and information. Thank You!

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I am a reference librarian at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. I have worked in public libraries in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois. I am interested in promoting reference services and the reading of good books.